Equilibrium
is an unique award winning user-led self injury awareness organisation
designed to help educate and support people who self harm and their
family and friends. Self Injury is becoming a widely used coping
mechanism amongst teenagers and young adults; in recent years the number
of people who use self harm has escalated massively and healthcare
professionals are referring to it as an epidemic.

We aim
to educate, inform and research into the depths of the self injury
phenomenon. This site will also offer a comprehensive guide to coping
with self harm and its vast array of dependant mindsets.

Self
injury / self harm (SI) is the act of physically hurting yourself on
purpose without the intent of committing suicide. It is a method
of coping during an emotionally difficult time that helps some people
temporarily feel better because they have a way to physically express
and release the tension and the pain they hold inside. In other people
hurting themselves produces chemical changes in their bodies that make
them feel happier and more relaxed.

Five
key components identify and define SI:

SI is
a harmful act done to yourself. Do not mistake lashing out in anger
at others as SI.

SI is
only done by yourself. If anyone else does something to you that
causes pain this is not SI.

An act
of SI must include some sort of physical violence. Emotionally
punishing yourself (calling yourself a bitch or thinking you're
stupid, ugly, etc.) is not SI.

An act
of SI is not done with the intention of killing yourself. People who
slit their wrists to kill themselves, even though they have harmed
their body, are not self injuring.

SI is
done intentionally. Not accidentally, but with the intent purpose of
hurting yourself.

The
origin of SI is usually difficult to determine or understand. Many
people are unable to remember where they first got the idea of hurting
themselves, and when they actually began to SI.

But a
small number of people develop SI through observational learning
(a process where a person learns a behaviour by watching someone else do
it). The chances of most people actually seeing another person SI are
very slim, but in places such as psychiatric hospitals and prisons the
odds are much higher. Remember, the chances of this happening are very
small.

People
who SI usually begin by cutting themselves with a knife, razor blade, or
other sharp object. From there the person tries other forms of SI, such
as burning, hitting, etc., until they find their preferred method.

Incidents
of SI peak in the early to mid-twenties. Often because of the great
changes that occur, and the new responsibilities and roles that produce
great stress in an individual. But, often, SI incidents decrease with
age, and most people stop self injuring altogether by the time they
reach their thirties.

Remember,
this is the typical course of SI. There are people who begin self
injuring at a very young age, or at an old age. Some continue to hurt
themselves after they reach their thirties. Everybody's experience is
different.

We
are a user-led online community

We
do not promote self injury

The
views expressed by members do not necessarily reflect those of
Equilibrium

"Joining the forum helped me realise that I'm not the only one who suffers like this and reading all the information inspired me to get some help. I'm not better yet but now I'm heading in the right direction. Thank you to everyone who helps to run this site."
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